Tasmanian Times

The individual has always had to struggle to keep from being overwhelmed by the tribe. If you try it, you will be lonely often, and sometimes frightened. No price is too high for the privilege of owning yourself. ~ Friedrich Nietzsche

The individual has always had to struggle to keep from being overwhelmed by the tribe. If you try it, you will be lonely often, and sometimes frightened. No price is too high for the privilege of owning yourself. ~ Friedrich Nietzsche

I have received no direct response from the Premier but I did receive the following from his Executive Officer on 7 November in acknowledgement to my original input on 5 October, i.e. a delay of 33 days.

On behalf of the Premier, I acknowledge and thank you for your email dated 5 October 2018. The matters you have raised have been noted and your correspondence is currently being considered.

On 23 November I received the following from the Minister of Aboriginal Affairs …

Thank you for your email of 2 November 2018 to Premier Will Hodgman MP regarding Aboriginal heritage values within Coupe BA388D inside the Permanent Timber Production Zone adjacent to your property at Liffey. I am responding on behalf of the Premier and as Minister for Aboriginal Affairs.

I have been advised that Sustainable Timber Tasmania (STD is responsible for management of the Permanent Timber Production Zones throughout Tasmania and it manages both Aboriginal and historic heritage values in accordance with their obligations under State and Commonwealth legislation.

Furtherrnore (sic), that the Forest Practices Authority (FPA), in consultation with Aboriginal Heritage Tasmania, have developed Procedures for managing Aboriginal cultural heritage when preparing Forest Practices Plans to ensure that Aboriginal heritage values are appropriately managed within wood production forests and wherever forest practices plans are required. The Forest Practices Authority, Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment and the Aboriginal Heritage Council have endorsed these procedures. This document is available from the Forest Practices Authority website www.fpatas.gov.au.

I have also been advised that in the interests of Aboriginal heritage management best practice, STE also maintains a collaborative relationship with Aboriginal Heritage Tasmania to deliver optimal Aboriginal heritage protection and management outcomes.

Should you Wish to discuss this matter further, I encourage you to contact the SIT Engagement and Land Management Manager.

Thank you once again for your email and for your interest in cultural heritage management

And nothing directly from the Premiers Office as of 1 December but HE is the Heritage Minister and is completely ignoring HIS responsibility. He should be meeting with the Pallittorre Elders together with the Aboriginal Minister and doing the appropriate level of community and stakeholder consultation.

It should not be delegated to STT and the FPA.

I have firsthand experience of how that might transpire given my 8 year battle with FT/FPA over the extensive European and Aboriginal heritage values of Coupe BA388D.

No need to go in to detail but it is all covered in many posts on TT …

But the incredible communication is this one from the Heritage Council Chair Dr Dianne Snowden (wife of then FT CEO Bob Gordon) in 2012.

I had requested she intervene and protect the Heritage values of the Coupe and indeed the entire area now under discussion. She replied as follows:-

Thank you for your email of 30 January 2012, concerning proposed forestry activities in the Liffey area (Your Reference: BA 388D).

I acknowledge your concerns, but need to advise that the Historic Cultural Heritage Act 1995 specifically precludes involvement by the Tasmanian Heritage Council.

The definition of Works in our legislation includes Part 1 (3) Works (d) ‘any removal, destruction or lopping of trees otherwise than in accordance with forest practices as defined in the Forest Practices Act 1985.’

The Heritage Council is therefore not able to offer any assistance in this instance.

So there you have it!

Thanks to Premier Groom in 1995 the only “protector” of Heritage values in forested areas is STT and the FPA.

This is not acceptable. ALL Heritage responsibility must reside with the most important elected official in the State i.e. the Premier – or is he really the Phantom?

John Powell was Born in Rushworth Victoria; educated at Dandenong High School and Monash University; National Service during the Vietnam War; employed in oil/gas, water, and the resources sectors; proud Celt; protector of environment and Aboriginal heritages, stubborn and resolute …

27 Comments

Mjf

December 9, 2018 at 1:00 pm

Yes Johnny, no argument re origins and custodianship. However it’s not against the law to visit and view relic sites as far as I’m aware on public land (in accordance with current ownership status). These locations are supposed to be confidential although I guess with nearly 7,000 recorded sites, some of the higher profile ones are now widely known. It’s a different situation if promoting such as part of a paid for experience. It seems a wiser head has prevailed after all.

I wonder what happens on the Tasmanian Walking Company’s Bay of Fires Lodge guided walk for the well heeled ? Do the guides consciously not stop to point out and discuss a midden or two, or some remnant flakes and cores ? It’s hard to imagine they don’t while exploring the coastline via beaches. If they do, what’s the difference between that and the ill fated Lake Malbena proposal ?

I’d guess a bloke who had a problem distinguishing between stopping to discuss a midden, and making a tourist attraction out of a sacred site, without consultation, would also likely have trouble picking the variety of ecosystems and unique inhabitants that exist under the ‘useful for corrupt forestry’ catchtag of ‘mixed forest’.

I’d also guess this was more ‘baiting by the department’ to assess a response for use in further fascist spindoctor releases than a generally dim-witted uninformed question from the shining light of FT/STT.

Keep on pimping coal, forestry and colonial intelligence Mr Fitch. There’s a big group of people standing behind you. Also a fair few in front, unamused, like the kiddies.

The locked gates are still there, Fitch. And the public never put them there. Nor did the public bulldoze thousands of kilometres of tracks through our forests or take gorse, broom and blackberries all through it.

The ONLY people locking up the forests from the public and trashing the ecology are FT/STT. FACT.

Martin Fitch … it might be astonishing for you to know that the Pallittorre are meeting with the AHC, and one elder is on the Board.

The cart is not before the horse. The issue is that the Premier refuses to be the accountable individual, and either ignores or delegates his responsibility to STT/FPA – not even YOU could agree that this is sensible – remember MIS Ponzi etc etc … oh wait, YOU made &&&

The Pallittorre are delighted for my help as the Premier does not talk to Palawa/Pallittorre peoples, or listen to the AHC .. as evidenced by his support for the trashing of the Tarkine middens by the red neck hobos from Braddon etc, and supported by @brooksy4braddon

A perfect example of the empathy and sensitivity of the whitefella elitist. Should I reference Lake Malbena also?

Yes, please do. Lake Malbena is an interesting situation. Are you referring to the proponent thinking he might like to take his paying guests on a small excursion to a relic rock carving site ?

John Powell

December 8, 2018 at 5:38 pm

Martin, re Lake Malbena, I understand the proponent has indicated the proposed excursions to iconic Palawa shelters has been dropped. And so it should have been.

These areas do NOT belong to whitefella $$$ makers .. but to the aboriginals who own them. It is their country!

John Powell

December 5, 2018 at 2:00 pm

Interesting dialogue with the Pallittorre in Deloraine today. Approval by DPIPWE Head for new youth Park Rangers (aboriginal), $$$ for Wyabaleena restoration, Kooparoona Niara Tours of the area .. but ZERO from the Premier.

Rong a gen the Phantoms president hails from a cult who swear on an Exclusive Brethren ideology, where they have a legacy which is transmitted from father to son, the Ghost who talks from his Uncle Otto, who’s beliefs were apparent during WW2 and now is residing in an island off the south coast of Australia.
Mixed Erica views dominate.

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"The individual has always had to struggle to keep from being overwhelmed by the tribe. If you try it, you will be lonely often, and sometimes frightened. No price is too high for the privilege of owning yourself." - Friedrich Nietzsche